Letter 128

128. To Eusebius, Bishop of Samosata

I have not yet been able to show in deed, as it deserves, my zeal for the peace of the churches of the Lord; yet I declare that in my heart I have so great a longing for it that I would gladly lay down even my own life, if only the flame of hatred kindled by the evil one might be quenched. And if it were not for my desire for peace, I should not have endured to draw near to the region of Coloneia — may my life never know peace if I lie! Yet it is the true peace, the peace left to us by the Lord himself, that I seek; and what I asked to be given me for my full assurance comes from one who desires nothing else than the true peace, even though certain men, perverting the truth, interpret it otherwise. Let those men, then, use their tongues for whatever they will; for assuredly they will one day repent of these words.

But I beg your Holiness to remember the original propositions, and not to be led astray by accepting other answers in place of the questions asked, nor to give effect to the sophistries of men who, without any power of speech, by mere intent alone do the cruellest violence of all to the truth. For I put forward plain, clear, and easily remembered words: whether we refuse communion to those who do not accept the faith of Nicaea, and whether we cannot endure to share fellowship with those who have the audacity to call the Holy Spirit a creature. But he, instead of answering my questions to the point, recited back to us those things which you sent — and this not from simplicity of mind, as one might suppose, nor from inability to perceive the consequence. Rather he reckons thus: that by denying our proposition he will make himself plain to the people, while by agreeing with us he will fall away from that middle position, than which up to now nothing has been more precious to him. Let him not, then, play the sophist with us, nor, along with the rest, deceive your prudence too; but let him send us a brief reply to the question, either confessing or denying communion with the enemies of the faith. If you persuade him to this and send me answers that are sound and such as I pray for, then I am the one who has erred in all that went before; I take all that blame upon myself; then demand of me a display of humility. But until none of this is done, forgive me, most God-beloved father, since I cannot stand at the altar of God with dissimulation. For if I had not feared this, why was I separating myself from Euippius, a man so accomplished in matters of discourse, so advanced in years, and possessing so many claims upon my friendship? But if those things were done rightly and fittingly for the sake of the truth, it would surely be absurd to be seen joining myself, through the middle position of these clever and charming gentlemen, to men who say the same things as he.

Yet it does not seem to me right wholly to estrange ourselves from those who do not accept the faith; rather we should show some care for these men according to the ancient laws of charity, and write to them with one accord, bringing to bear every appeal with compassion, and, setting before them the faith of the fathers, invite them to union. And if we persuade them, let us be joined with them in common; but if we fail, let us be content with one another, and banish this double-mindedness from our character, taking up the evangelical and guileless manner of life by which those who from the first came to the word once lived. For, it is said, the heart and soul of those who believed was one. If, then, they are persuaded by you, this is best. But if not, make known to us the makers of war, and cease henceforth writing to us about reconciliations.